Wednesday, 28 December 2016

Kennedy Marr is a
novelist from the old school. Irish, acerbic, and a borderline alcoholic
and sex-addict, his mantra is drink hard, write hard and try to screw
every woman you meet. He's writing film scripts in LA, fucking,
drinking and insulting his way through Californian society, but also
suffering from writers block and unpaid taxes. Then a solution presents
itself - Marr is to be the unlikely recipient of the W. F. Bingham Prize
for Outstanding Contribution to Modern Literature, an award worth half a
million pounds. But it does not come without a price: he must spend a
year teaching at the English university where his ex-wife and estranged
daughter now reside.

As Kennedy acclimatises to the sleepy
campus, inspiring revulsion and worship in equal measure, he's forced to
reconsider his precarious lifestyle. Incredible as it may seem, there
might actually be a father and a teacher lurking inside this 'preening,
narcissistic, priapic, sociopath'. Or is there.

I read this book almost a year ago and due to mysterious internet reasons I can't find the actual review that I started writing for this then. Which means I will be writing this review on the random things I remember from it. I think they're word document somewhere, but I can't find it so... this what we have.

Kenald is the cliché alcoholic middle age writer wishing for better times before he became a rich selfish arsehole, so super likable as he tries to sleep with women only a few older than his daughter (that summary does involve sarcasm and the choice to call him Kenald for some reason). He's self aware and is doing a lot reflecting on how he end up this way. Kennedy an arsehole, but realistic so he comes off as a flawed character that's spent too much time in Hollywood.

This book deals with Hollywood and academia bullshit as well as the up and downs of life such as addiction and family issues that can't be fixed with money. Kennedy behaviour is often cringe worthy.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Cocaine Wanderings. This is a funny books that fleshed out stereotypes and clichés while
being funny and poignant so basically it the sort of thing I love and
therefore recommend to people who like like their comedy to come with a punch in the gut.

The Japanese crime sensation that sold a million copies in six days.SIX FOUR. THE NIGHTMARE NO PARENT COULD ENDURE. THE CASE NO DETECTIVE COULD SOLVE.THE TWIST NO READER COULD PREDICT.

For
five days in January 1989, the parents of a seven-year-old Tokyo
schoolgirl sat and listened to the demands of their daughter's
kidnapper. They would never learn his identity. They would never see
their daughter again.

For
the fourteen years that followed, the Japanese public listened to the
police's apologies. They would never forget the botched investigation
that became known as 'Six Four'. They would never forgive the
authorities their failure.

For
one week in late 2002, the press officer attached to the police
department in question confronted an anomaly in the case. He could never
imagine what he would uncover. He would never have looked if he'd known
what he would find.

This is a very slow book for something that comes technically under the thriller genre.

Our protagonist Mikami is an outsider, working in the hated media department in Administer, while having previously been a detective. Office Politics is big part of this book, with the police officers and Admin going up against each other. Mikami also has personal stuff that effects where he lies in this 'war' and this does goes in a circle while Mikami is trying to find out what they all up to, especially as he thinks its vital for him to know.

The mysteries presented are mostly solved, a big one is left to wonder about. I go on the pessimist side of what is hinted about the one that isn't.

The writing is odd sometimes, obviously this is a translation (translated by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies) so that might come from what is the usual in Japanese. Mikami just starts listing things, which is especially odd as this book is written in third person. This book is quite long and the plot drags on sometimes.
They were some culture barriers in this book for me. A big early plot point is the Journalist threatening to put in a written compliant to the police and I honestly don't get why anyone would care as they were complaining about something Mikami was ordered to do. The police have no respect/like for the Journalist so why was a big deal if they complained. I know Japan does have a big thing about honour and shame so maybe because its a shamefully thing to happen, or the whole disconnect they have with their bosses. It doesn't really matter I guess if you understand why, it is important for plot reason and then what that leads to.

I listened to the audio book of this and I don't think I would recommended that. I didn't really like the actor's, Richard Burnip, voice. He also made the female character kinda whinny and didn't like a lot of the choices for the other characters either. I also found it confusing since I'm not familiar with Japanese names it was hard for me to remember character's by the sound of their names and would have been better reading it, but ar last I did not have the time to do that and got used to both these issues eventually.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Irritable Reporters. While I enjoyed this book, a lot things are left unresolved and everything that is resolved is done very quickly compared to the size of the rest of this book.

Discamilar: I listen to book on Audio book from the library, but I had also received a ebook version off it from NetGalley and Quercus Books when it came out in Hardback over here.

Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Seventeen-year-old
Elliott hasn't slept properly for months. Not since the accident that
nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy
figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while
his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out
of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they're terrifying.

Convinced
that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott
secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the
truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott
grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night,
during an out of body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his
body gone. Something is occupying it, something dead that wants to live
again . . . and it wants Ophelia, too . . .

This is the story of a boy who died and rises again so now the Dead hounded his dreams. Or more like they make him astral project, giving him unrestful nights.

Elliott makes an likeable, appealing protagonist.The supporting characters are okay, there is a sprinkle of stereotypes as minor antagonists. The romance is somewhat decent. The mythos of the ghosts was done well. It took from a lot of things to have realistic rules that worked for the plot.

I liked the plot mixed with the setting. While it is set at museum, its actually a collection of old buildings making more a fake tour from different time periods. Elliot chooses to work there as they have started during ghost tours at night as the buildings are meant to be haunted. There's also mystery that comes from working at the museum. I enjoyed the journey of this and the solution was fulfilling.

It also deals with grief, Elliot having lost his mum before his accident and his dad failing to cope after she gones.

I listened to the audio book version narrated by Paul Chequer. He did a good job of bringing Elliot to live, this book being in first person.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for drawing henna. This was a decent YA with supernatural stuff.

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Days
after Holmes and his arch-enemy Moriarty fall to their doom at the
Reichenbach Falls, Pinkerton agent Frederick Chase arrives in Europe
from New York. The death of Moriarty has created a poisonous vacuum
which has been swiftly filled by a fiendish new criminal mastermind who
has risen to take his place.

Ably assisted by Inspector Athelney
Jones of Scotland Yard, a devoted student of Holmes's methods of
investigation and deduction, Frederick Chase must forge a path through
the darkest corners of the capital to shine light on this shadowy
figure, a man much feared but seldom seen, a man determined to engulf
London in a tide of murder and menace.

This is Horowitz second attempt at at Sherlock Holmes novel. Sherlock Holmes does not appear (spoilers or whatever you baby). I was not that impressed by his first attempt "The House of Silk" it was okay, the concept made sense since the events in it would have not been publishable in Victorian times. This was em...Holmeless. This is was about Moriety's crew after the events of his death and hapless Detective trying to be Sherlock Holmes with side kick and all.

The twist in this book is some bullshit. One, it should be obvious when you stare at the title long enough. Some people might enjoy the twist, but my policy is that lying to the reader is not a twist. It is bullshit. If you ignore that twist, the plot aright. Just kinda sad.

The writing style is nice. Horowitz can write. I just don't like the plot outcome that much.

Overall, I give this book 2/5 stars for dead servants. It was okay, fine even till the twist. I don't think I would recommend this book to anyone. I got it from the library and I was still annoyed. The idea of book exploring Moriety is great idea, this didn't really do and thus the title was just riding on the popularity of BBC Sherlock's portrayal recently and just general Sherlock Holmes love. I don't know, just the complete stories of Sherlock Holmes again in Publication order and read the free fanfict online. I recommend J.M. Barrie's crack fic (yes, the writer of Peter Pan wrote a Sherlock Holmes parodies. There's like three and the little shit that he is, he predicted the Sherlock Holmes would rise from the dead. He was also called James...and BBFs with Conon Doyle. Hm...I will not Crack fanfic about dead writers. I will not.)

£1
from the sale of every book will be donated to Crisis, the national
homelessness charity. To find out more about Crisis, see
www.crisis.org.uk

Before reading this book I was concerned that this would be an anthology where the stories didn't match at all with each other. Christmas, Home and Homeless are the themes I'm guessing the writer were given. This book does contains some writers I really like, one I studied in school and one I have yet to find anything likable about. I wasn't going to request this book, until I realise Cat Clarke was in it and I must read everything she ever published.

Home and Away by Benjamin Zephaniah: This a poem and despite being taught several times how to citizens and write poems I don't feel confident on the matter, but I still have a jotter full of Face's quote. It's about how you could become homeless.

Ghosts of Christmas Past by Non
Pratt: There are no actual ghosts and this is just a standard contemporary Sam is dealing with now living with his Nan and being awkward with girls. 4/5 stars for Tree Cravings.

If Only in my Dreams by Marcus Sedgwick: returning to the tradition of horror at Christmas and Space. Bit of a cliché plot. Also Also the British don't care about American poems about Christmas. It's written well as always by Sedgwick. 4/5 stars for darkness dreams.

Family You Choose by Cat Clarke: Queer fun. With a character that doesn't speak. Very nice. Unusual Christmas dinner. Hinting at bigger life. Birthday blues. 5/5 stars for silent cake.

The Associates by Kevin Brooks: The day in the life of two Homeless men who mainly hassle people. I don't know if I'm missing the point or if Brooks is missing the mark in trying to humanise homelessness. I think this story needs to be fleshed out a bit more, especially as for a day in life, big gaps are hinting at being missing. Also have no clue by what is meant by the title. 3/5 stars for cliché needles.

The Afterschool Club by Holly Bourne: Rich Boy, Poor Girl, spending time together to avoid going home and do their homework together. I liked the characters in this one and the writing, as well the hinting at the deep issues at play as well as the ones on the surface. 4/5 stars for Coat swapping. Homo for Christmas by Juno
Dawson: The lesson in this story is to use private mode. We also have another uni age character dealing with their sexuality similar to Cat Clarke's story. These two fit together at least, but these one did feel a little more mature than the ones before it. 5/5 stars for Skinful.

Amir and George by Sita Brahmachari: This story deals with the series and current topic of refugee. Its also write in the style of someone whose not good at English (as though it was foreign language to them) which was interesting stab at realism. 5/5 stars for found lemons.

The Letter by Tracy Darnton: Darnton won a contest to be included in this book. This doesn’t feel
like a short story and more like the start up of a novel as the eventful stuff has either happened or about to
happen.There's interesting story there, but this glimpse into Amber's life is a small catalyst that hints at several possibility. Though, I can tell from this that Darnton is a skilled writer. 4/5 stars for Bowling shoes. Claws by Tom Becker: Everything I have ever read before by Becker has been insultingly terrible, at least this was just insulting, but I feel like that Becker liked the title of Claws and was gonna force that to make sense. It was alright, its the "someone does something stupid" version of horror therefore you don't care about the main character which is unsuccessfully. 2/5 stars for fishhooks ribbons.

Christmas, Take Two by Katy Cannon: Heather is being forced to spend Christmas with her Father's new shorty and her monstrous children. Its mostly be grateful and its Christmas so be happy that no one takes you into account when making important decisions, learned all from a romantic encounter. 3/5 stars for forced stockings. When Daddy Comes Home by Melvin Burgess: Nothing says Christmas like a dystopia of Politic Corruption. Interesting in that it comes in the form of a monologue. 4/5 stars for Christmas Tricks.

The Bluebird by Julie Mayhew: A modern fairy tale told in the form of a fairy tale, but modern setting. I enjoy writing confusing sentences. Parents holding their kids captive and a romance that might be a lot more alarming than its meant to be. 3/5 stars for burning chips.

Routes and Wings by Lisa Williamson: I really liked this one and does a good job of humanizing Homelessness. 5/5 stars for Bus Fare.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for multiple themes. Okay, I get why this book was done and that it for a good cause, but in terms of a coherent anthology most of the stories don't go together. Some of them fit and there could all be sketched to have a theme of home, or at least have the setting of Christmas. I'm probably just way over thinking of this, especially as I'm someone who reads all these genres about the same (except Poetry) within YA. I would recommend this if you're a general YA lover. I got this book off Netgalley for review and it is published by Stripes Publishing.

In an ordinary suburb, a
seemingly ordinary man tends his garden and tries to impress his
neighbours as a heat wave clamps over the city. But all is not as it
seems, and as death begins to stalk the city's streets and parks he
finds himself caught up in a game beyond his control that brings terror
to his very doorstep, and nothing about him or the place he lives will
ever be the same again

To start this review, let me criticize the fail of cover that this book has. The biggest issues being that the summary on the back is hard to read because its white font on the pale sky. I can't even make out the first two words of the generic blurb. Then there's the awkward red chunks on it. I don't want to address the other issues of me reviewing this book because it weird, but I have to review it because British Book Challenge.

The big thing is that this book in the POV of a serial Killer, that might be a spoiler but without that information why pick this book up. I have read several books completely from Serial Killers/murderers and ones where the POV pops up. This just didn't do anything new or interesting for me. The only thing that separates is that there's no gory detains, so if you want serial killer but no graphic violence, here you go.

There were confusing jumps throughout the novel. I think this was intentional to reflect the character's inner mind (and I scrim read major parts of this book).

I think my biggest issues that the serial killer is kinda dumb. He not obvious about his killings but he also has no real chance of getting away with it in the long run. Therefore, I lost interest. It could be argue he's meant to be dumb, in contrast to his low estimate of everyone around him.

I give this 3/5 stars for buses to noway. It was okay, its a serial killer in Glasgow. I just didn't care that much about this book and I took way to long to read it.

Wednesday, 30 November 2016

Kate Rickman seems just
like any other nineteen-year-old girl. She goes to university, she dates
nice, normal boys and she works in her local tourist office at the
weekend. But Kate's not really normal at all. 'Kate' is in fact a
carefully constructed facade for a girl called Jennifer Jones - and it's
a facade that's crumbling fast.

Jennifer has spent the last nine years
frantically trying to escape from her horrifying past. Increasingly
desperate, Jennifer decides to do something drastic. She contacts the
only other girl who might understand what she's dealing with, breaking
every rule of her parole along the way. Lucy Bussell is the last person
Jennifer expects any sympathy from, but she's also the last person she
has left.

This is one the best example of pointless sequels. This sequel really adds nothing to the story and the fact it came as part of the first book's 10 year adversay just make me think that Anne Cassidy didn't have a story about JJ in her and forced one out instead. There are things resolved from the first book, perhaps because readers kept pointing out. For the point of ease I'm just gonna call our protagonist JJ in this review. I have a review of the first book if you're interested in that rather than the sequel.

Even though JJ has sworn off relationships, of course there's a romance. He treats her better than last one, so obviously she not that invested in him. I know Frankie was her first love, but she was a 16 year old who thought about breaking up with him often (and should have), then the did the deed because virginity is always made out to be a big deal in all media. I mean this attitude isn't really about Frankie and more JJ has decided to be a loner and just let depression take her. This book's lesson is that depression makes people do incredible dumb stuff. JJ unhappy so decides to put her way of life in danger for no real reason and no play off. In this book, the journalist that found her in the last book has comes back with a book which would have been, the meta interesting thing to have released for the 10th anniversary and it would have been a lot more interesting. The idiot that JJ is, she never reads this book which could have contain all the answers she was wondering about. The fact she didn't, makes me think it does fact contains the answers to the universe.

A lot of stuff happens in this book and then is immediately dropped.There is a random murder in this book and JJ shows she somehow doesn't know how the police work, despite all her encounters.

Overall, I give this 2/5 stars for sandy cliffs. The ending is really stupid to match what an idiot she is. Feelings of lack of identity is an interesting thing to explored but its not a decent length. I just don't think book add anything to JJ's journey.

Wednesday, 23 November 2016

I was never caught for my childhood murders and I never will be. *Evil Laughter*

Three
children walked away from the cottages on the edge of the town towards
Berwick Waters. Later that day only two of them came back. Alice Tully
knows exactly what happened that spring day six years ago - though it's
still hard for her to believe it's real. The images, the sounds and the
aftermath are imprinted on her memory. She'll never be able to forget,
even though she's trying to lead a normal life. She's making a go of
things, putting her past behind her at last. But Alice's past is
dangerous, and violent, and sad - and it's about to rip her new life
apart.

This book big selling point is its about a child killer, as someone who killed someone when they were a child. I forget when it actually discoursed in the book that what Alice has done but it not spoiler as this standout feature of this book.

The plot is mostly made up with her new daily life and constant threat she will be discovered. Her murder was big news event meaning now she been released they are people looking for her for a cash grab. Ar...the horror of 00s newspaper, slowly becoming aware of their dying.

The book is made up of the present with flashbacks to the past to explain what lead to the murder. This works well and the past is mixed well though out the present narrative.

Alice is a our main character who starts her life anew at the age of 16. She a sympathetic character and I wanted things to turn out well for her. The characters were realistic, except for the victim. She a emotional manipulating bully and a spoilt brat. There's never any more depth to her, therefore it doesn't feel like she actually killed a person. Alice is a flawed character and justifying her murder by having the person she kill be so detestable takes away from the horror JJ feels after her crime and the realism.

Alice does become unlikable as she never chooses to tell anyone her reason for going to the lake that day which I get at the start but at certain point I don't get why she continues to kept it a secret. She loses her reason pretty quickly and it could effect more people than just her.

Alice's boyfriend, Frankie is a fail that kept distracting to me. In this book for some reason, uni is called college despite being set in England. He is in his third year, meaning he's like 21 year old. At least 20 to Alice's 16. That's four years difference during major development years. I know Alice has got a her A levels and is ready for uni when she 17. This is more noticeable since he controlling arse. The thing is we are meant to feel for this relationship as though it would be sad if Alice was separated from him, where I'm thinking she should break up with him. Was this seen as acceptable 10 years?

I did not like this voice actor at all. I think it might have just been personal taste, but I did not appreciated her character choices. I hoping for a better actor in the next book as I know they are different actors for that one.

Overall, I gave this book 3/5 stars for nude dolls. The novel has a good idea, but they were some hiccups in the execution of it. I'm aware of the time period it was written, but still I rated as someone who would have been just ageing into target market upon its release. I probably would have liked at the time as it does feature a ten old killing someone, but that probably why I don't the get the shock or Tune in next week for the Review of the sequel.

I believe Burnet was born in a field. Okay, he was actually born in place that my SatNav says horribly wrong.

The year is 1869. A brutal triple murder in a remote community in the Scottish Highlands leads to the arrest of a young man by the name of Roderick Macrae. A memoir written by the accused makes its clear that he is guilty, but it falls to the country's finest legal and psychiatric minds to uncover what drove him to commit such merciles acts of violence. Was he mad? Only the persuasive powers of his advocate stand between Macrae and the gallows. Graeme Macrae Burnet tells an irresistible and original story about the provisional nature of truth, even when the facts seem clear. His Bloody Project is a mesmersing literary thriller set in an unforgiving landscape where the exercise of power is arbitrary.

I love the number of blurbs this book has without any reference to Scotland there is. Whitewashing strikes again. Honestly, its odd because it is extremely Scottish in themes and location. 19th Century Highlands was a special place of sadness which comes up in the plot.

This is the found footage of books, but luckily shakey cam is not recreated in this. It's made up of "Historical" documents mostly made up of Roddy own account of what lead him to the murders as well as summary of newspapers and witness accounts. This in the style of other faked documents, except without the deception of by a know killer, like the several apparent diaries of Jack the Ripper that I have read and its done very well.

This is not a book answers, that way it actually like history. I have tons of questions, I know very little facts about the plot of this book. Its written really well as historical thing (in opinion of someone who reads that stuff sometimes). That does make it a very dry in places with words no longer in use.

Overall, I give this 4/5 stars for digging peat. I liked this book, and now I'm going to tell people its YA book to see if anyone will believe me with that title. It was an interesting look at this time period.

Wednesday, 16 November 2016

Rachel catches the same
commuter train every morning. She knows it will wait at the same signal
each time, overlooking a row of back gardens. She’s even started to feel
like she knows the people who live in one of the houses. ‘Jess and
Jason’, she calls them. Their life – as she sees it – is perfect. If
only Rachel could be that happy.

And then she sees something shocking. It’s only a minute until the train moves on, but it’s enough.

Now everything’s changed. Now Rachel has a chance to become a part of the lives she’s only watched from afar.

Now they’ll see; she’s much more than just the girl on the train…

Ar the awkward the experience of having a main character with the same name as you. Correct spelling and all. You probably heard about about this book by now, especially as the film adaptation is currently in theatres as I type. The big thing is this has been compared to is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn which I have yet to read, I will compare it to this instead or I might just straight disagree. The question is does meet up to the hype. The answer is mostly 'Yes'.

The novel is mostly told from Rachel present POV with Megan POV of the past. Rachel is drunk often and has blackouts so we can't trust her narrative. Megan just leaves giant chunks out for no real reason other mystery and plot.

The plot is mostly just Rachel stumbling around drunk. While not being a obvious, it's all very convenient. In terms of matching up all the narratives, they was a point that felt would have been better if we had gotten a vital piece of information in the other narrative and I would have changed them around personally, but each to their own and I'm clearly not a best selling author. I get what the Hawkins was going for but the solution didn't really work for me fully. I just don't buy it. The ending was rather meh.

The characters were okay. They all meant to be flawed and I think this is done in the realistic way. I've seen on Goodreads that a lot of people straight up hated them, but honesty, while they do unlikable and regrettable things I don't get the hate for all of them. I hated Anna, but pretty sure you're meant to. Rachel's ex-Husband Tom is totally unappealing and I don't get why anyone would want him, never mind two women.

I listened to the Audio book with Clare Corbett, India FisherandLouise Brealey voice acting. I found them to be good and well casted. The only thing that was slightly off putting is when two of the voice actors did completely different interpretation of the same character, especially as I really liked the first one I was exposed to.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for canned gin. I enjoyed listening to this novel. Definitely over hyped but also a decent Thriller novel so I would recommend it if that what you like to read.

Saturday, 12 November 2016

I brought a camera yesterday. Did I spend too much money on it? Perhaps. Did I go overboard? Most definitely. I ordered five lenses, but three of them having arrived yet. I've been thinking of getting a camera before I even started uni.

I haven't forgot about you. I have given up the pretence that I have been writing posts every week. Its not a lack of having anything to say. It isn't even that I haven't had time. I've just been life writing stump where I go to write and then get stuck. I'm back to writing reviews by forcing them out with the Knowledge that I'm current;y sitting on the number of reviews that are left in the year. But I have wrote the ones enough the rest of November so November will have reviews for the rest of the year.

I will make myself write the reviews for the rest of the year. The terrible thing is the one I have negated to write for almost ten months. I might leave it for last for kicks. Uni is still going. Making films and learning about film. I got taught about Sigmund Freud's theory about men having a fear being castigated because women don't have a penis therefore it was cut off. Yeah, literally no idea what that has to do with horror, which what we were meant to be learning about. I mean Freud has been mostly discredited and is the one with the mother issues. Mutilation of the genitalia is horrifying, but I don't think Freud's theory should be taught in any class, unless it directly influences a film. We also watched the Psycho remake It is god awful. He mess up the iconic scene so much. I know everyone knows the twist by now, as it is a iconic film and has had a massive influence, but that doesn't mean you give up on it if you going to go to the effect of a remake.

I honestly don't get what Freud's theory about Castration anxiety had to do with the appeal of Horror. He's came up before in another class,though that was the ego and the id which are probably nonsense but is fiction not all nonsense. That being said I don't want to be taught seriously the theories of a man who thought all women wanted to be men and that everyone fancies their mothers. Penis Envy is not a real thing. Yes, they are transgender men but no one thinks that a penis was taken from them at birth. Oh, it would blown his mind to know that in fact we start out we all start out as female in the womb. It is just Freud pushing his own, sexist ideas on other people.

That was weird route to go down. Have you missed the nonsense of my own brain? The world has became more horrifying since we last spoke like this. Clowns attacking people and Lex Luther is on his way to be president, with no Batman or Superman.We live in a terrible dimension. I would like to collide with another dimension at this point.

I recently came to the realisation I don't really know what horror is in the written form. Horror in film is obvious due it format. Horror in books, especially as supernatural and thrillers are their own genres in books and I am immune to fake fear apparently. People tell me that they find films I find laughable scary. I can't even see it.

In summary I'm making a horror film and I don't know if its going to be remotely scary. But it will follow the format. I'm running out of things to say so I shall leave now. I am here and on the YouTube. See me there.

Wednesday, 9 November 2016

It ain't a serial killer without a type.It's 1956 and fifteen-year-old Betty Broadbent has never left the Cornish fishing village of St Steele or ventured far beyond the walls of the boarding house run by her erratic mother. But when the London press pack descends to report on a series of gruesome murders of young women, Betty's world changes. In particular she is transfixed by mysterious and aloof reporter, Mr Gallagher. As the death toll rises, an unlikely friendship blossoms between Betty and Gallagher. But as their bond deepens, they find themselves entangled with the murders and each is forced to make a devastating choice, one that will shape their own lives - and the life of an innocent man - forever.

The only reason I finished this novel was that I wanted to know if I was right about the plot. I didn't fully read the summary before I started listening to it because I was in a hurry to find an audio book for the long drive home. If I had read the whole description, then I wouldn't have pick it up. It doesn't help that Laura Powell has the same name as another writer, who I thought this was when I picked it up. This is made more confusing by the fact they both British with Welsh links. This is (one of the reasons) why pen names are a thing. The opening is really strong, introducing us to Betty and what's the situation going on within the village. It really hooked me in. However, then the next chapter is a flash forward to 2006 Mary, a pathetic 65 year old that has no motivation and is waiting for the sweet kiss of death. Except for revealing what happened in 1956, I didn't care what went down in these chapters involving Mary. Especially, as1956 Mary is completely unlikable without a redeemable thing about her and 2006 Mary is the same. The biggest problem is the characters. They are all terrible, uninteresting people who only grow more unlikable the more time you're forced to spend with them. I liked and was invested in Betty in the beginning but this was ruined half way into this book. She starts as a capable 15 year old who often left to run a hotel by herself due to her mentally ill mother. The complicated nature of her relationship with mother, who is most likely Bipolar, was done really well. The more the book goes on the more Betty becomes like the other characters who are whinny and bland. You can have unlikable characters, but they should be distinct from each other. An another big issue is the romance. Even if you look past that Gallagher is double the age of an underaged Betty, he is still terrible to her. He's all we can't do this but keeps doing it while being a jerk to her. The plot largely rides on this relationship and the Betty we get at the beginning disappears into him. While some people do start relationships and change into them, Betty is gone immediately for plot reasons. It some what mixed signals about whether we are meant to like this relationship or not. I get the feeling we are, in the beginning Gallagher is described as younger, so you don't realise that he middle age for this time period straight away. I'm almost anti-romance in books in general, so this might be less of an issue for some other people, but Gallagher is still a grown arse man who blames everything on a 15 year old and still gets to play hero.

The plot in theory is really good, but the execution is weak. I honesty don't think anything is gained by having parts set in 2000s. A lot of the better parts of plot go undeveloped and the ending is rushed. I figured out the ending and thought it would actually be really good until we got there. Then it was unsatisfying and Betty has no agency at all. Yes, she directs the plot but its to kick someone else into gear. The mystery is what actual mystery are like, you don't know who it is until they tell you. I did figure it out but this more random guessing. This hard to explain without spoiling but I will try my best. I have a really big issue with the solution. I totally believe it, it works. However, we get no overshadowing so it ends up being lazy and stereotypical. I listen to this on audio book and I wouldn't recommend it. Not sure if it was the voice actressor the writing but parts often sounded like audio description. I lean towards writing, as we got sentences for actions e.g. Betty put her shoes on. The main reason I would suggest reading over listening is I often had to rewind back to clarify what was said. The end was especially bad for this but I think is mainly to do with the ending being rushed. Overall, I give this book 2/5 stars for Missing Knifes. There's an interesting idea here, but the execution is done terribly. Some things are done well which I wished more time spent on these aspects. As this is Powell's debut novel I'm incline to be more forgiving, e.g. maybe she doesn't realise than none of the female character has any real agency. There's definitely a good novel in her. This isn't it- for me at least. I would read her again if the plot was right.

Wednesday, 2 November 2016

My name is Stacey Woods and I was raped. Stacey is the victim of a terrible sexual attack. She does
not feel able to go to the police, or talk about it to anybody other
than her best friend, Patrice. Patrice, outraged, when she cannot
persuade her to go to the police, encourages Stacey to write everything
down. This is Stacey's story.

This is a book joining a number of YA books that have recently came out dealing with rape and can't help but compare it to those brilliant books. It differers in that just deals with the immediate time around the rape and is set in England. It also written by a author that I have read (and reviewed) tons by.

My favourite part of the book is that the surrounding plot is a parody of the way so many YA romance books go, where the protagonist trusts a complete stranger and has a magical adventure so this book acts as caution story as in not to follow their lead.

The book is from Stacy POV looking back at the events surrounding her Rape and the things that followed it. I think it could have been more reflective as that was the best of the book.

Stacy has the dream of becoming of a fashion designer. This is basically just the standard 'want' so that Stacey has something to flipflop over during the process of the book. It does actually functions a lot in the plot. Stacy doesn't have much personality besides her relationship problems.

Overall, I give this novel 3/5 stars for scrap material. This is a short book dealing with a serious issue, while doing an okay job of exploring it. However, it pales to next to the other books with the same themes and almost feels like a manual on the important notes on rape, rather a story about Stacy. It important that books like this exist aimed at teenagers so that makes great.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published by Hot Key Books on 3rd November 2016.

Wednesday, 26 October 2016

I found this random Anthology in the library. Yes, it was in the kids section but as always that is not a excuse for the level of bad in these the stories. Most of these authors are unknown to me and none of the stories have made me motivated to go out to find more about the authors I wasn't already aware of before. As always I have review each stories, though this time I didn't review each one straight after listening.

The Castle Ghosts by Joseph Delaney - Spooky castle I saw the ending coming for miles. 3/5 stars for mysterious contents. The Caretakers by Susan Cooper - This story was ruined for me straight off the bat by the protagonist describing her brother James as "not being autistic but something that has no name". He's autistic. Unless you actually going to give a diagnosis of something else then don't bring up the fact that the character with clearly autistic traits is not autistic. Maybe because an autistic person will be listening to the audio book adaptation of your story and be done with your shit. I don't really rate much besides the 'not autistic thing'. It's yourstandard creepy haunted house/island story. The title doesn't work, it's just a straight up misdirect and think this would have been more interesting from James POV instead of someone with no character traits at all. 2/5 stars for Lake screaming. 1/5 stars for Ableism.

Good Boy by Mal Peet - I liked this one. It's not obvious in execution and creepy concept that would be terrifying. 4/5 stars for dog paws.The Blood Line by Jamila Gavin - This story contains two actual creepy things: Mirrors and Work houses. Except has really complicated and convoluted way of getting the main character into the story and distracts from everything else. This story could worked, but didn't for me. 3/5 stars for monkey thief.The Ghost in the Machine by Eleanor Updale - This one really works as an audio book (story?), though I was promised pictures. I did actually think something had went wrong with my phone when this came on, like it was really weird virus I was listening to while in Waterstones. I also actually felt for the character in this one as well. 4/5 stars for high-tech ghosts.Songs the Dead Sing by Derek Landy -This is a lot of darker than the other stories (except maybe the first one) in that involves Cult Murder and appropriately I was listening to it while trying to find the toilet in an old building 4/5 stars for lying leaders. The Beach Hut by Robin Jarvis - This one was okay, it tried, but felt rather cope outy, probably due to this being aimed at kids and adults like to think kids can't handle the extreme. I found the main ghost in this to be too annoying to deal with and therefore that end the ghostly experience there for me. 2.5 stars for mouthfuls of sea water. Also the voice actor is really whinny sounding.The Praying Down of Vaughan Darkness by Sam Llewellyn - The framing of this story is unnecessary and doesn't stick to it well. There's a good idea in here but is not done well. 3/5 stars for cheesy breath. The Ghost Walk by Matt Haig - This story takes a lot of clichés and doesn't do much with them. Not at all creepy and an bad attempt to tell the Hitchhiker ghost story. What happens in this story could just be someone messing with them. 2/5 stars for pointless umbrella. The Ghost Wood by Philip Reeve - Meh. Another featuring dreaming about dogs. 3/5 stars for wood stones. The Little Ship's Boy by Berlie Doherty - Dumb and obvious. 1/5 stars for drowning. Overall, I give this 3/5 stars for dog clichés. I don't know if the writers were given prompts for this, but the similarity between these stories actually made the worse ones worst. There were some decent stories in here; the majority were just meh. The voice actors varied from good to terrible. I wouldn't recommend this book as a whole but there are some decent stories buried here. A library pick up sort of book.

Thursday, 6 October 2016

'I have a voice but it isn't mine. It used to say things so I'd fit in - to please my parents, to please my teachers. It used to tell the universe I was something I wasn't. It lied.'

Fifteen-year-old Tess doesn't mean to become mute. At first, she's just too shocked to speak. And who wouldn't be? Discovering your whole life has been a lie because your dad isn't your real father is a pretty big deal. Tess sets out to find the truth of her identity, and uncovers a secret that could ruin multiple lives. But can she ask for help when she's forgotten how to use her voice?

This is an interesting book in that the main character doesn't stop speaking straight after the 'traumactic event' and develops an imaginary friend or a Tulpa I guess. I went into this book basically blind. I must have read the summary of this book where I request it for review and brought it (the cover is really cool) so mostly went on the fact that Annabell Pitcher is award winning writer who has really interesting titled books. I think that worked for this book, but I'm not the person to advocate for that (I intentionally spoil myself all the time to find out if something is worth investing the time in). Still nothing I considered a spoiler is in this review.

Tess is a typical awkward teenager who's relationship with her parents is secretly stained. Major secrets on both sides. There were times where I wanted to shake Tess but I'm certain that was intentional. Tess has bad decision making skills, so generally a realistic teenager. Her relationships with the other characters are complex and the important one all have some form of lie attached to them.

Tess also spends a lot time of arguing and lying to herself in a form of Mr Goldfish. While this done mostly well, there were times where Tess described communication would have been noticeable to the people around her.

I think the silence that Tess develops is done well. That mainly comes from the fact it does develop and immediately after the cause. Its starts with Tess not wanting to say anything for spoiler plot reasons. Then from this she trapped in continuing not to say anything as the book goes on. I have Select Mutism so I have dealt with being unable to talk in awkward situations myself and found Tess emotions and reactions to this to be realistic. Her interaction with teachers (especially one near the end) were very reminiscent to my own. This is definitely the best book I've read so far where the main character is mute for most of the book.

That being said I declared that Main characters that don't talk was going to be a trend and I think I can say safely say it is a trend now so I might keep an on going rank with books that try the whole Selective Mutism experience on for size. I'm going to write why that problematic in another post and not side track this review for a book that does a good job of it to criticize the ones that don't (that being said I found a book that can only be pigging backing on this one). For those unaware of Selective Mutism, this is not nor is it meant to be a portrayal of it. Selective Mutism would come into play if it was long-term issue and she did talk in situations she was comfortable in. Still successfully captures some of the things you experience if have Selective Mutism.

A big part of the book relies on Tess making big leaps and doing stupid stuff. I know people can be blinded by what they want to be true, other realitity but Tess is meant to be a teenager and
often she would have a complete disregard for reality. We have Mr Goldfish to prove that she does see the reality, it just she talks about her fantasy as though they could actually become reality. She also seems to live in a world where no one else has complicated families e.g. step dads. I mean if somehow not in her own life, this stuff is on TV and various other media now.

There was also a bit of a rush to resolve everything in the book. I would have liked more time spent on her friend Isabell. She mostly just a plot device than a character and her ending is bit unsatisfying.

Overall, I give this book 4/5 stars for Redundant Taxis. This was an interesting book that deals with realistic issues with uncommon ideas. Some parts could have been executed better, but as a whole it was good read with complicated life issues in it.

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

Growing
up in the sleepy English seaside town of Brynston, the fearless five –
Ella, Max, Corey, Fallon and Zane – were always inseparable. Living up
to their nickname, they were the adventurous, rowdy kids who lived for
ghost stories and exploring the nearby islands off the coast. But when
Max’s beloved older sister Jessica is killed, the friendship seems to
die with her.

Now
years later, only Max and Ella are in touch; still best friends and a
couple since they were thirteen. Their lives are so intertwined Max’s
dad even sponsors Ella’s training for the Commonwealth Games. But Ella
is hiding things. Like why she hates going to Max’s house for Sunday
dinner, and flinches whenever his family are near. Or the real reason
she’s afraid to take their relationship to the next level.

When
underdog Corey is bullied, the fearless five are brought back together
again, teaming up to wreak havoc and revenge on those who have wronged
them. But when the secrets they are keeping can no longer be kept quiet,
will their fearlessness be enough to save them from themselves?

This
is the third book by C.J. Skuse that I have read and reviewed (Dead Romantic and Monster); this is the first one not to have a link to
classic horror films. This one is more the horror of people. A
thriller mystery sort of book as we don't know what the characters are hiding or why.

The format of this book is interesting. Its told from the point of the
view of the Main Character Ella as she is being asked questions by
someone at the end of each chapter. I liked this technique to move the
story along as well as an interesting way to introduce each chapter's
content. That being said, I felt the ending was a bit forced. It reminds
of a book by Susie Day (which I won't say in case you have read it and don't
want to be spoiled at all for this book), in both have cool ideas but
trap themselves in the execution of the end. I get the ending and fit
with the theme of the book; it just didn't feel like a natural concussion for
me.

There are flashbacks within Flashbacks throughout
this book, this worked well with the characters are dealing with the
results of the past. Somehow, is only mildly confusing.

While related on the characters,
this book is more plot heavy in that the characters don't feel like real
people and more like archetypes; They have all have different backgrounds despite all living in the same area which is realistic. Ella herself is well defined but none
of the supporting are more than support beams to the story, which is
fine since they do support it and I'm at the point over-analysing.

The
characters seem a bit old during the past events to be behaviouring the
way they all do. They all 13 years old, but act more like eight years.
13 years old are childish but they start to get uppity about it at that
age. I mean they already in Secondary School at this point. Living with
thirteen year old, I just don't buy it at all.

Now
it's time for the most pointless part of any review: Rachel Verna
points out something odd. This novel takes place on a Wednesday, 4 August
therefore happens in 2010 but couldn't have because 'Scream Eggs' are
mentioned in a past section, a product not released until 2011.
Probably just a mistake or in-attempt to be timeless, especially as the Commonwealth games are meant
to be
2 years in the story. Funfact, the next 4th Wednesday is 2021. I'm not
sad enough to figure out what the year must it be for all that to be
true, just sad enough the notice the date is wrong and then to check if I
was right.

An odd book for both my main
disabilities to be name dropped (once you start having several you start
ranking them, asthma is currently last). None have effect on the
characters or the book's plot. Corey has minor cerebral palsy, doesn't come into the plot at all. It kinda tries at one point then walks out the door. During, the novel he's not really affected
by it, but it does affect the way other characters see him. I don't
know about enough about cerebral palsy to say whether it was a good
portray or not. It seemed fine, but with the story not being told by
him, it was obviously not a focus in a story with so much plot. Now, I'm
going to stop the bit where I over-analysing the effort for diversity
in a book.

Overall, I gave this four out of five stars for Carrie Reenactments. This book has clear moral about vengeance it tries to survey,
but in my opinion kinda gets lost. CJ Skuse seems to be maturing as a author based off her last two books, definitely good improvement since Dead Romantic. Skuse continues to have interesting ideas and I'm excited for the next one.

I got this book for review off NetGalley and is being published byMira Ink on 22rd September 2016.

Saturday, 3 September 2016

My neck has been sore for a week. There is return in ache in the joint between skull and my spine. Lying under the surface of the skin. Its goes and comes back. With me when I wake and without me when I sleep, gone when I wake and there when I sleep.

Pains with no clear origin are the worst. I move my neck and it was there. I wonder if its there now because I'm aware of it and pain is a function of the brain. That being said it comes when I'm not thinking of it.

I have been playing a lot of Alpha Sapphire which without Pokemon of the front of it sounds like a Sci-fi game that has no plot and you're just fighting some bad government guys. Nope, just trying to catch magical animals then fight them against each other so they became more powerful animals with powers. They not really portrayed as magical but some of them apparently are gods, so science and magic. Pokemon are weird.

Uni is starting up again, which is just a thing that I will have to deal with. I haven't done much with my break from it. Wasting the days away. I am also currently lacking a home there, commuting and parking. I have ideas, urges to write but have. I also have this headache like my nose is blocked. My body is rebelling again. A growing paranoid that I have a brain tumour. Headaches and my speech seems to be getting worst. Probably not, because that's my fear of the betrayal of the brain. Tumour is the slow version typical of someone my age. Though, disease don't actually care about age.

It's probably that need new glasses (I do and eye stain causes headaches), and I've had messed up speech for years. Sometimes it hard not to wish for easier life. Green glass or whatever.

That's all for now, my headaches and I should do so many things. Sleep or catch up on Orphan Black.

Wednesday, 17 August 2016

It was always difficult
being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked
employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three
school-age children.

While Harry grapples with a past that
refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle
with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present
fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth:
sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

At first when I was hearing all the bad things about this book. I thought it was from people not being used to reading plays and didn't understand the differences between them and a novel. I gave it the benefit of the doubt and read it when I finally got my hands on the copy I had pre-ordered months ago. I wanted to form my own opinion and now I have.

This has to be some of the worst, laziest fanfiction I have ever read. EVER. and that is from someone who lived between Harry Potter books and has went through months of only reading fanfiction.You read (and create) a lot terrible stuff when you're fifteen; in the name of Fandom. This play even has some of the worst tropes.

This play based off a story by J.K.Rowling (e.g. fanfiction), written by John Tiffany and Jack Thorne. J.K. Rowling did not write this and it pretty obvious.

The characters are really out of character. There clearly wasn't a space for Ron in this play so they turned him into his dad and this awkward comic relief. Yep, we get the wrong the Wealsey in this book, which reminds of me fanfiction because for some reason there are people who really hate Ron and think he useless, like he is in this. Harry says stuff I could never imagine Harry saying, even with 20 something years later. Also none of the character have their own voice and use odd words. I now wonder late at night "Where did a Malfoy learn the word "mate" and why would he used it when he thinks hugging is weird?" It also comes straight after a much older character using is (or maybe the other way around) to emphasise how lack of thought went into the characters dialogue.

The house sorting is dumb. I've never came across two more truer Hufflepuffs in my life. We have Draco's and Harry's son being really gay with each other (fanfict). But not, because the religious nuts already hate Harry Potter enough without having actual gays in one of them. Poor Hugo has been written out of this play but we know he exists because he's mention once. Albus also has no relationship with his siblings. They there but only because they have to be and emphasise what a "failure"Albus is. Scorpius is also infatuated with Rose (fanfict) and Albus has a love interest to prove he's straight and it is a level of fanfict I have never read by choice until this play made me. Its giant trope that I can't get into because spoilers. Creepy, creepy heteronormative spoilers. Why couldn't they just be gay and avoid the creepiness that we presented with at the end with both of them?I have a hard time believing that these kids were raised by the same kids we got to know so well in Harry Potter or by the adults we glimpsed in the last book.

The book deals with time travel (look here's a timeturner, even though all of them were destroyed.What happens, it is a giant troupe in the Harry Potter Fandom). The big issue that's it really lazy take on the "Butterfly Effect". There's an obvious route that the plot could have took that would make a lot more sense, but they don't do that. Instead, they add unrealistic character development, that we don't see so of course that makes it incredibility unrealistic.

The plot makes very little sense and has giant gaping plot holes that took me out of the story so much. Time Travel is complicated and not enough thought was put into it for it work and then we have odd character motivation. Time Travel thing could have been used as technique to teach Albus a lesson about his father's actual childhood, but no just hm...actually I don't know we got with that time travel.

The ending was terrible, a fanfiction troupe and utterly pointless. The whole thing was just, here lets experience this for no real reason. It was just really lazy way to end the play with emotional bow, that at least fails on paper.

But relax true HP fans, this play opens by going against canon. I mean its written as though Albus is the first to go Hogwarts, which is just dumb. Therefore, its not the actual eighth story. I don't know if there's actual story written or plot-outline by J.K.Rowling that the play was based on but even if it was, this was not a well done adaptation. I mean literally, a parody musical got the characters better than this book. If there's an actual short story, then they should have probably published it instead or along with the play.

Overall, I give this book 2 out of five stars for gay-baiting. There's another major fanfict troupe this play has, but I can't go into because major spoiler for this joke of a play. I have other issues with it but I'm already on the borderline of Spoiler land and those thoughts belong in video discussion. Seriously though, what was the point of this? Does J.K. Rowling have a secret gambling problem so she needed to make money quick or something? Why was this ever approved? I know this is very negative review, but there was nothing good or enjoyable about reading this play. It's possible that is better acted out, you know in its intended media, but going off how bad the dialogue I really doubt it.

If this play had actually been about about Harry Potter's adult life or the challenges of being the son of a War hero then it would have been interesting. No we got timetravel and not even the Marauders
to make it fun at least. I think it ends being a two star and not one for me because there was something thing that could have been really good but everything they got right, they twisted till it wasn't. Now, I'm off to read decent fanfiction.

Saturday, 16 July 2016

Like the rest of the world I've been playing Pokemon Go. Mostly from my bed, you would be surprise how many Pokemon just stroll into my house. I caught my first two in my kitchen. I catch a Gastly while watching 'My Ghost Story', her name is My Gastly Story now. Also two crab Pokemon in my bed, also a Horsea. Maybe my bed is a ocean. Now I must fight the urge to write a poem-story with that concept at this exact moment.

Quite the balancing act.

There is are three Pokestops and a gym in walking distances of my house. I don't if that's good or not as I've not played in the game in a bigger town or city yet. One of the pokestop is technically in the middle of the the road, but that's not where the map registers it being and the other is the place I go to vote.

Whoever currently has the gym either did one of the tricks to get Pokemon Go in the UK or they're from another country, because their Pokemon are at a ridiculous level for game only been out two days. I've picked the red team and will make that gym red as blood.

What could have been?

My brother and I have been out during early morning hours trying to find pokemon. Its been a struggle with servers going down all the time and the game freezing just as a decent pokemon appears. The game also freezes after I've hit a pokemon when with a pokeball. I have lost so many because of this. Sometimes the pokemon is there and sometimes its gone from my world.

All this walking has started too hurt me. I keep having back spasms so fun. I know there's apparently cheats to make you look like your walking but I'm definitely not gonna try that cause I would probably mess up something. I wonder how quickly eggs hatch on a plane.

That's all from me on the written form but I've tons of videos going on my YouTube as soon as I edit them. Filmed way too much today. Off to hunt for pokemon.

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Luke Manchett used to be one of the most popular boys at school.That was before his necromancer father died and left him a host of vengeful ghosts that wanted him dead.Now everyone thinks he's a freak.

To make matters worse, the mysterious new girl at school is actually the daughter of his father's deadliest enemy...And she's out for revenge

This is the sequel to 13 Days of Midnight, while I enjoyed the first book, I had issues with it that have carried on to the next book. Most of them have doubled.

The plot was still strong but was too reliant on the sheer stupidity of the protagonist. It could be augured it's is naivety but at this point he's straight up not learning from his mistakes.The world building while interesting, it didn't compensate for the characters this time.

Luke and Elza are giant clichés. A popular jock and a snobby goth are the most unlikable stereotypes that you can find in a Teen Medium without a immediate threat; it becomes clear how characterless they are. I had a problem with the romantic aspect of their relationship in the previous book and in this one it rings even more false for me. This is a big issue as a lot of the novel is their relationship being tested and I'm just in the corner thinking you should have broke up by now, like Big Brother contestants do when they come out the house. Their bonding is experience is over and has been for months at the start of this book. Friendships are valid and in high school you be friends with people if you have nothing really in common except being outsiders and lonely. You're less likely to question your differences in friendship than a romance. Their high tolerance for each is never explained which we just know how they annoy each other.

Also both Luke's mum and Elza's parents are completely fine with them staying over at each others' places over night without a discussion. There's at least an awkward sex talk in there. That's never discussed in the book and they are just teenagers who both lucked on parents that up for having grand kids in 9 months. All of the parents are involve and actually care about their locations. This is odd absence of responsibility is just weird extension of the absent parents trope in YA. A world without consequences.

The new characters in this book are bland and American meaning their actions have little emotional consequence to the story. But I like them more than Luke and Elza so problematic again for the plot.

Random Fact: Luke has disdain towards having his Dad's last name, but he's 16 years he can change his name to his mum's (or anything) if he wants. Its the 21st century and lots of people decided to do that. If it's to show disdain towards his father, I think the back story does this pretty clearly and if to explain his mum different last name, why bring her last name up? No one actively calls her by it and the story is told completely by Luke. If meant to show Luke still wants a connection with his dad, how many people would question one line at the the start of the book this much.

I give this 2.5 stars for Ghost Fights. I like the world of this book, but the characters really let the book down. I'm not all invested in them at all after two books. Last time I said I didn't think of I would read the sequel but who knows, probably wouldn't buy it. I think I would definitely read a spin off or future work from Leo Hunt. If you a more plot person than a character person then I would recommend it to you.

I got this off NetGalley for review and is being published by Orchard Books on 14 July 2016.

This book is called Urban Legends and surprisingly has Urban Legends. The main reason I read this series is because I love Legends and ghost stories I picked up this book solely on this when I saw in the library and then I read the whole series. I really like the way these stories were incorporated into the novel and think think it worked really well. Urban legends are sprinkled through the main story, (my favourite is Angel Smile as its own thing while being based on a popular Legend. Also such a cute renaming).

The plot is involves abandoned buildings and more urban exploring. We have more interesting murders (be honest and admit that you rate fictional murders). I like the climax and the build up to it.

This book continues the romances from the two previous, but its quickly resolves if you're not about pointless love triangles (while on the real side of those situations, I'm just not about romances in general).

Overall, I give it 4/5 stars for lost flashlights. This was a good strong ending to the series and I'm glad that I read the whole series, just based on this book's title. I wish had written this review sooner after I finished reading the book, but Oh well. Time is fleeting thing that gets away from us all. Would had of have a better review though.

P.S. Nice final sentence. "They stood together and watched the coin rise and fall in the air, golden and glittering as it turned over and over in the light from the street lamps, and waited to see which way it would fall."

Saturday, 2 July 2016

Hello, Weirdos. It's been a while, but in honour of the first Saturday of Camp I have a new Chapter in the Dance Hall. Yeah, still need a better title. I don't even like as a working title. I will accept suggestions. I've worked on this chapter for a while, hopefully the next one will be wrote a lot quickly. This chapter does end with lots of direction for the next one. I'm still finding the characters. I don't know I've made the right direction for this story, my early starts might have been better. However, we here now so I'm just going to keep pushing myself to get through this. This story has been worth so far just with the different world building I've done and I do like ideas I've came up with. The Execution does need work. I'm going to stop review this chapter and just let you read.

Do tell me what you think and if you are also taking part in Camp NaNoWriMo this session as well.

I’m
woken by someone slamming on my door. I finally got to sleep last night at
around 4am. I feel goggy. What the point of sleeping when you feel worse when
you wake up? I answer the door to my mother.

“Good,
you’re dress,” I hadn’t bothered to get changed before getting into bed. “You’ve
missed breakfast and we have to get going. Get your stuff together.”

This
is my mother typical morning greeting. She is morning person where I favour the
night, sticking to the stereotype. I grab my phone and bag without saying
anything. I didn’t even get my phone charger out last night, meaning my phone
is likely dead and Necromancy doesn’t work on electronics, that was different
type of magic. Though, I can do Frankenstein thing with corpses.

“Ready,”
I tell the hallway. My hair is probably a mess but I’m spending the next three
hours in the car anyway. She not there, I lock the door and make my way down
the stairs. We’ll run into each other eventually.

No
one was in the reception bit. Disappointingly, there’s not even a feeling of
eeriness in the empty hallway. People are easy to find, when they are ghost to
ask. I go outside to see if she at the car. I immediately spot that she not in
the parking lot. The only one presence is a ghost. It’s standing at the gate
looking out into the road. A girl in Victorian style white dress, how cliché.

The
dress is a clue to her state of living but I can just tell with the dead. I
couldn’t explain the difference between the living and the dead. There’s just a
clear distinction.

I
wander over to her. She must be one of the house’s actual sprits. They don’t
tend to leave their objects. Though, maybe the gate was from another place
originally. It wouldn’t surprise me if even the wall paper was haunted, stolen
from aderelict
mansion.

“Why
are clinging to the gate?” Conventional conversation with ghosts usually go no
way even with the most aware spirts, so it’s best to be direct with what you
wanted.

“He’ll
be back.”

“Who
will…” I stop at a crunch in the gravel. It’s Mr Creepy. Camp NANo The ghost is faded away when I turn back.
Our discussion was over with the intruder. I ignore him and walked to the car.
I try the door for kicks, my mother often leaves the door open. Its locked.

“Hello,
Nova,” Mr Creeps says rattling the gates. “How did you sleep? Have any disturbances?”
I roll my eyes.

“Yeah,
the mattress was so lumpy that my sleep was so light that woke from the sound
of the pipes ratting. Maybe you should get those replace.” I fake smile as his
disappears.

“I
just came out to make sure the gates were unlocked,” he pauses. “They sometimes
lock and unlock themselves.” He tells me this as though it’s a secret and not
something he’s tells all his guests. If true, it sounded like too rivalling spirts.

“Maybe
you should get a new a lock,” I reply to his disappointment. I know I’m being
bitchy, but these places give me the creeps and I can’t believe my mum wants to
run one. He goes on to opening the gate, pulling them wide and use a rope try
them to the fence.

A
minivan pulls in as if on que, it beat up Junker that’s all scraped up on the
side of it. It’s also crammed with kids. Is a spook hotel, a family hotel?

The
woman behind the wheel gets out the car, abandoning just at the gate. She is
dressed in bright patterns long shirt and ankle length skirt that crash with
each other and just the colours on them alone.

“Is
Aytia ready to go?” are the words she says to Creep. My mother’s car is sadly
lock. I can’t be bother to wait with Creeps’ family. My mother must be inside.

“You’re
Tella Stern’s daughter aren’t you?”

The
creeps all know us then. I awkwardly nod. I saved up from follow up questions
with the appearance of Junior Creeps.

“Hello
Aunt Mum,” the women turns disgruntled.I didn’t know that witches doubled as Hill billies. I guess they must
exist somewhere. It probably witches just have the habit calling the unofficial
head of the family a version of mother and I haven’t met one who appreciates
being the one with this honour.

Aytia
stuffs her bag in a boot and then throws herself in with it. Witches are not
safety or law abiding butch. The woman
gets back in the car and drives off with only a wave to Creeps.

“I’ll
be seeing you all round Nova,” Aytia shouts waving as me as the van flees from
her father.

My
mother finally came out and meets me at our car. Its doors are finally opened.
We dump our bags in the boot.

“Did
you return your key?”

“The
ghosts did it for me,” I say with smile.

“Go
and do it so we can leave. Mav would probably demand we come back as the key
itself is haunted.” I’m not sure she joking or not. I would rather never come
back here. It’s a threat I’m not willing to risk.

Mr
Creeps is back in the hotel, so I’m forced back into the building. The hall is strikingly
colder than the spring weather outside now. Empty but for the ghost manning the
desk, flicking through files.

I
guess Aytia did keep the ghosts at bay. I slam the keys on the desk. He doesn’t
look up at the noise. Well, he’s clearly not being paid enough to deal with
guests. I probably should actually give Mr Creeps the keys, so they not carried
off by the sprits, but if this is really the quiet season then he would have
plenty of time to find the key again. Also he really should have spares in
different places with the amount of ghosts this place has.

Eh,
I need to get out this house before more show up. The room suddenly darkens and
file ghost disappears. I sigh and turn to leave. The Victorian ghost stands
before the door blocking the way. Well, she had her chance for conversation and
I don’t time for her menacing act.

I
walk towards her in game of chicken. Walking through ghost feels weird, but it
just in your head. You see something that should stop you moving forward, except
it just the same as a rainbow or light beam. Ghosts are just light, but not.
Like I said they’ll been almost no research done by anyone with any real knowledge
of the sprit world. The few non-cigma scientist are more interested in the biology
of magic than anything else. How powers manifest is the only nut they are
trying to crack.

She
doesn’t move as I get to her. I brace myself to go past her, closing my eyes. I
bang against something hard. I fall back on my arse. I open my eyes, to the girl
still blocking my way. I scan to see what knocked me over. She can’t be solid.
It takes a lot of energy for ghost to interact with the “physical” world and it
more touching things long enough to hurt someone. Maybe she pushed me for
ignoring her now.

“He
will be back for you,” her voice echoes, through the hall. Irrational fear
fills me. She talking about herself. Ghosts like to be dramatic and corner
people who can see her. She starts to move but then fades away again.

“What
are you doing on the floor?” I hear Mr Creeps behind me. Ghost must be repelled
by the Creeps. I get up from the floor and go out the door.

“The
keys are on the desk,” I shout back glad to be out of the company of the house.